Sept 5: This Week in Gut Health

Five IBS studies from the past few months, quick and interesting hits:

• Swedish researchers found two gut bacteria that team up to produce serotonin and regulate bowel movements — people with IBS have less of one of them. My take: This is cool because it shows that studies are getting closer to finding a way to definitively identify IBS instead of the "cross everything else off the list" method that is currently most common.

• A nearly 15,000-patient meta-analysis found real inflammatory markers in IBS patients — pushing back on "it's all in your head." My take: This is exciting because it is pushing back on the idea that IBS is all in your head.

• First head-to-head study: low-FODMAP beats Mediterranean diet for diarrhea and mixed-type IBS. My take: This is good because it further backs up the idea that the FODMAP diet is a good way to significantly reduce symptoms in certain IBS patterns.

• A big review mapped how gut metabolites "talk" to your brain and drive IBS symptoms. My take: This deepens the knowledge base that we have on the gut-brain connection.

• Mayo Clinic pinpointed the exact two molecules gut bacteria use to control bowel movements — and both are low in people with constipation-type IBS. My take: This is great because it gives a good starting point to find a way to potentially "cure" constipation-type IBS.

That's the roundup. See you next Saturday.